The recessed can light fixture has been a common household and workplace lighting fixture for many years. Referring to FIG. 1, an example of such a recessed can light fixture assembly 10 is shown. Although the configurations for these fixtures may vary somewhat, the fixture 10 typically includes a cylindrical-shaped canister or housing 12, which may be formed of metal, plastic or other suitable material, that is open at its lower end and that houses or includes a socket or socket assembly 14 located at the upper end of the canister 12. The socket assembly 14 is electrically coupled to an electrical power source (not shown) through wiring of the home or dwelling. The canister 12 is typically mounted so that it is recessed in an opening formed in a panel 16, such as drywall or the like, that forms a ceiling or wall of a room. A trim assembly or baffle 18 may be provided with the light fixture 10. The trim assembly 18 may include a cone 20 that extends a distance into the canister 20 and has a central opening for allowing the passage of light. The cone 20 may be generally concentric with the cylindrical canister 12 and may taper radially outward along its length from its upper end to its lower end, as shown. The interior of the cone 20 may optionally be provided with a reflective surface for reflecting light or a decorative coloring. A circumferential flange or rim 22 that extends radially outward from the lower end of the cone 20 may also be provided with the trim assembly 18 and facilitates providing a finished look to the fixture 10. The trim assembly or baffle 18 may be secured to the canister 12 or light fixture 10 through mounting springs 24 or other suitable coupling mechanisms.
A light bulb or lamp 26 is used with the light fixture 10. Until recently incandescent lamps, including halogen lamps, have been primarily used as the lamps with recessed canned light fixtures, such as the fixture 10. These incandescent lamps are typically spot or flood lights, such as the R30-type and R40-type incandescent lamps, which generally have the configuration of the lamp 26 shown in FIG. 1. Lamps for recessed light fixtures typically employ those bulb shapes designated in the industry as BR, ER, PAR, K and R. These lamps have a socket 28 at one end for electrically coupling to the socket 14 and an opposite illuminating end 30. As shown, the lamp 26 tapers in diameter along its length, with the diameter gradually increasing to its greatest diameter around the illuminating end 30 of the lamp 26. The illuminating end 30 of the lamp 26 typically terminates in a convex dome shape, which generally locates at or near the lower opening of the canister 12 or trim assembly 18, as shown, when the lamp is mounted to the fixture 10. The lamp 26 may be sized so that a gap or space 32 exists between the outer perimeter of the illuminating end 30 and the interior walls of the canister 12 or trim assembly 18, if a trim assembly is employed. The R30 lamp typically has a maximum diameter around its illuminating end of approximately 3.75 inches and the R40 lamp typically has a maximum diameter of at its illuminating end of approximately 5 inches. These incandescent light bulbs are attractive, reasonably priced and have been the standard for use in the recessed canned light fixtures for many years.
Recently, compact fluorescent light bulbs or lamps (CFL) have been gaining popularity due to their higher efficiency and use of less energy and longer life expectancy. The typical CFL is a “swirl” or “twist” shaped bulb. Many find this swirl shape unattractive and unsuitable for use in recessed can light fixtures. Currently, CFL's are made in most common incandescent lamp shapes and in comparative light outputs. To accommodate other shapes, such as the R30 and R40, the swirl-shaped tube of the bulb is encased within a glass or plastic housing of comparable shape to the incandescent light bulbs they are intended to replace. The price of the typical non-encased CFL swirl bulb, at most retail stores, is dramatically less expensive than the encased equivalents. This difference in price makes changing out multiple incandescent R30 or R40 bulbs in recessed can light fixtures for their equivalent-shaped CFLs cost prohibitive for many homes, despite their longevity and energy savings. Some homes have still chosen to place non-encased CFL swirl bulbs in their recessed can light fixtures because of the decreased expense. This is in despite of the cosmetic shortcomings of the bulb compared to the incandescent R30 or R40 lamp that is being replaced.